Sgt. Steve Rickey with Kalamazoo Township Police said firefighters are attempting to search the building but it is difficult to determine if the woman was unable escape, due to the heavy smoke.

Firefighters with Kalamazoo Township, Kalamazoo Public Safety and Oshtemo Township fire departments responded to the fire at The Cloisters condominiums at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Residents say there were heavy flames in the four-unit condo and the roof collapsed.

A resident of a neighboring building, who requested that his name not be used for this report, said he tried to get into the burning building and rescue the missing woman.

The man, a former Kalamazoo Township police officer, told the Kalamazoo Gazette that he left his condo when he heard a man at the building next door yelling. He said he then saw and smelled smoke and heard the man yelling that his mom was still in the building.

"I tried to get inside and started crawling in there but the smoke forced me out," the man said. "The whole stairway was up in flames and the roof collapsed. There was some heavy smoke damage."

The former officer said he heard glass popping and described the burning building like "an inferno."

Kalamazoo Township police have yet to confirm if the woman died in the fire, as they continue to battle the flames and smoke.

Firefighters are not only battling the flames but the elements with cold temperatures and snow. There is a Kalamazoo city bus at the scene, serving as a warming station for first responders.

Aaron Mueller is a public safety reporter for the Kalamazoo
Gazette. Contact him at amuelle1@mlive.com or 269-568-3867.
Follow him on Twitter.